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CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Star Tracker with Regional Electronic Shutter
The guidance system in a spacecraft determines spacecraft attitude by matching an observed star field to a star catalog....An APS(active pixel sensor)-based system can reduce mass and power consumption and radiation effects compared to a CCD(charge-coupled device)-based system...This paper reports an APS (active pixel sensor) with locally variable times, achieved through individual pixel reset (IPR).
CMOS active pixel sensor type imaging system on a chip
Single substrate device is formed to have an image acquistition device and a controller. The controller on the substrate controls the system operation.
CMOS active pixel sensor type imaging system on a chip
A single chip camera which includes an .[.intergrated.]. .Iadd.integrated .Iaddend.image acquisition portion and control portion and which has double sampling/noise reduction capabilities thereon. Part of the .[.intergrated.]. .Iadd.integrated .Iaddend.structure reduces the noise that is picked up during imaging.
Progress in CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors
Recent research results regarding the investigation of CMOS active pixel image sensors (APS) are reported. An investigation of various designs for the pixel, including photogate devices of various geometries and photodiode devices has been performed. Opto-electronic performance including intra-pixel photoresponse maps taken using a focused laser scanning apparatus are presented. Several imaging arrays have also been investigated. A 128 x 128 image sensor has been fabricated and characterized. Both p-well and n-well implementations have been explored. The demonstrated arrays use 2 micron CMOS design rules and have a 40 x 40 micron pixel pitch.
Development of CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors for Low Cost Commercial Applications
This paper describes ongoing research and development of CMOS active pixel image sensors for low cost commercial applications. A number of sensor designs have been fabricated and tested in both p-well and n-well technologies. Major elements in the development of the sensor include on-chip analog signal processing circuits for the reduction of fixed pattern noise, on-chip timing and control circuits and on-chip analog-to-digital conversion (ADC). Recent results and continuing efforts in these areas will be presented.
CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors for Highly Integrated Imaging Systems
A family of CMOS-based active pixel image sensors (APS) that are inherently compatible with the integration of on-chip signal processing circuitry is reported.
A 128 x 128 CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor for Highly Integrated Imaging Systems
A new CMOS-based image sensor that is intrinsically compatible with on-chip CMOS circuitry is reported. The new CMOS active pixel image sensor achieves low noise, high sensitivity, X-Y addressability, and has simple timing requirements. The image sensor was fabricated using a 2 micrometer p-well CMOS process, and consists of a 128 x 128 array of 40 micrometer x 40 micrometer pixels. The CMOS image sensor technology enables highly integrated smart image sensors, and makes the design, incorporation and fabrication of such sensors widely accessible to the integrated circuit community.
Development of CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors for Low Cost Commercial Applications
JPL, under sponsorship from the NASA Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology, has been developing a second-generation solid-state image sensor technology. Charge-coupled devices (CCD) are a well-established first generation image sensor technology. For both commercial and NASA applications, CCDs have numerous shortcomings. In response, the active pixel sensor (APS) technology has been under research. The major advantages of APS technology are the ability to integrate on-chip timing, control, signal-processing and analog-to-digital converter functions, reduced sensitivity to radiation effects, low power operation, and random access readout.
Camera-on-a-Chip
Jet Propulsion Laboratory's research on a second generation, solid-state image sensor technology has resulted in the Complementary Metal- Oxide Semiconductor Active Pixel Sensor (CMOS), establishing an alternative to the Charged Coupled Device (CCD). Photobit Corporation, the leading supplier of CMOS image sensors, has commercialized two products of their own based on this technology: the PB-100 and PB-300. These devices are cameras on a chip, combining all camera functions. CMOS "active-pixel" digital image sensors offer several advantages over CCDs, a technology used in video and still-camera applications for 30 years. The CMOS sensors draw less energy, they use the same manufacturing platform as most microprocessors and memory chips, and they allow on-chip programming of frame size, exposure, and other parameters.
CMOS Active-Pixel Image Sensor With Simple Floating Gates
Experimental complementary metal-oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) active-pixel image sensor integrated circuit features simple floating-gate structure, with metal-oxide/semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) as active circuit element in each pixel. Provides flexibility of readout modes, no kTC noise, and relatively simple structure suitable for high-density arrays. Features desirable for "smart sensor" applications.
128 Mbit/second Multiport CMOS Binary Active Pixel Image Sensor
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CMOS foveal image sensor chip
A foveal image sensor integrated circuit comprising a plurality of CMOS active pixel sensors arranged both within and about a central fovea region of the chip. The pixels in the central fovea region have a smaller size than the pixels arranged in peripheral rings about the central region. A new photocharge normalization scheme and associated circuitry normalizes the output signals from the different size pixels in the array. The pixels are assembled into a multi-resolution rectilinear foveal image sensor chip using a novel access scheme to reduce the number of analog RAM cells needed. Localized spatial resolution declines monotonically with offset from the imager's optical axis, analogous to biological foveal vision.
CMOS APS Image Sensor with Ultra-High-Linear-Dynamic-Range Utilizing Dual Output
We report a 64x64 element CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) with ultra-high-dynamic-range linear output. The chip features a new architecture enabling multiple samples per pixel per frame.
Development of selenium imaging detectors toward a definitive search for neutrinoless ββ decay
Imaging sensors made from an ionization target layer of amorphous selenium (aSe) coupled to a silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel array for charge readout are a promising technology for neutrino physics. The high spatial resolution in a solid-state target provides unparalleled rejection of backgrounds from natural radioactivity in the search for the neutrinoless ββ decay of 82 Se. With this grant, we experimentally determined two crucial factors necessary for the realization of this novel technology: i) the intrinsic energy response of aSe to ionizing electrons, and ii) the feasibility to couple a target layer of aSe to a CMOS active pixel sensor to image electron tracks.
Image Sensors Enhance Camera Technologies
In the 1990s, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory team led by Eric Fossum researched ways of improving complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors in order to miniaturize cameras on spacecraft while maintaining scientific image quality. Fossum s team founded a company to commercialize the resulting CMOS active pixel sensor. Now called the Aptina Imaging Corporation, based in San Jose, California, the company has shipped over 1 billion sensors for use in applications such as digital cameras, camera phones, Web cameras, and automotive cameras. Today, one of every three cell phone cameras on the planet feature Aptina s sensor technology.
A High-Speed, Event-Driven, Active Pixel Sensor Readout for Photon-Counting Microchannel Plate Detectors
Silicon array readouts for microchannel plate intensifiers offer several attractive features. In this class of detector, the electron cloud output of the MCP intensifier is converted to visible light by a phosphor; that light is then fiber-optically coupled to the silicon array. In photon-counting mode, the resulting light splashes on the silicon array are recognized and centroided to fractional pixel accuracy by off-chip electronics. This process can result in very high (MCP-limited) spatial resolution while operating at a modest MCP gain (desirable for dynamic range and long term stability). The principal limitation of intensified CCD systems of this type is their severely limited local dynamic range, as accurate photon counting is achieved only if there are not overlapping event splashes within the frame time of the device. This problem can be ameliorated somewhat by processing events only in pre-selected windows of interest of by using an addressable charge injection device (CID) for the readout array. We are currently pursuing the development of an intriguing alternative readout concept based on using an event-driven CMOS Active Pixel Sensor. APS technology permits the incorporation of discriminator circuitry within each pixel. When coupled with suitable CMOS logic outside the array area, the discriminator circuitry can be used to trigger the readout of small sub-array windows only when and where an event splash has been detected, completely eliminating the local dynamic range problem, while achieving a high global count rate capability and maintaining high spatial resolution. We elaborate on this concept and present our progress toward implementing an event-driven APS readout.
A High-Speed, Event-Driven, Active Pixel Sensor Readout for Photon-Counting Microchannel Plate Detectors
Silicon array readouts for microchannel plate intensifiers offer several attractive features. In this class of detector, the electron cloud output of the MCP intensifier is converted to visible light by a phosphor; that light is then fiber-optically coupled to the silicon array. In photon-counting mode, the resulting light splashes on the silicon array are recognized and centroided to fractional pixel accuracy by off-chip electronics. This process can result in very high (MCP-limited) spatial resolution for the readout while operating at a modest MCP gain (desirable for dynamic range and long term stability). The principal limitation of intensified CCD systems of this type is their severely limited local dynamic range, as accurate photon counting is achieved only if there are not overlapping event splashes within the frame time of the device. This problem can be ameliorated somewhat by processing events only in pre-selected windows of interest or by using an addressable charge injection device (CID) for the readout array. We are currently pursuing the development of an intriguing alternative readout concept based on using an event-driven CMOS Active Pixel Sensor. APS technology permits the incorporation of discriminator circuitry within each pixel. When coupled with suitable CMOS logic outside the array area, the discriminator circuitry can be used to trigger the readout of small sub-array windows only when and where an event splash has been detected, completely eliminating the local dynamic range problem, while achieving a high global count rate capability and maintaining high spatial resolution. We elaborate on this concept and present our progress toward implementing an event-driven APS readout.